The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-03-18


CAPTAIN GAps DEAD.
Reportsa Dsaih u C.peas. s....- !. -
ons u shs (irsatese Enr1-cer- ~ -. 'sa q.
- Nassau. Now Provlpencs- - 1slorr...s,
scai sketch % = HAY E16b.
NEW YoRK, March 10. Captain Jane.
.. Eads died ~ Nassau, New Providence
on tne oth Instant, Of pneumonia.
~ Louis March 1--we have he1 "a
nothing more than 10 contained N IN
Associated Press Dispatch said NJ
Estiii 4cnenry last night The Telegram
= wordod ~ such . peculiar manner tina,
| we arc inclined 20 hold on 70 hope un,i,
the news d confirmed. Captain Eads IN,
New York about the 9th Of February al
Nessau. He waa thon suffering from !
severe cold which he had contracted !
few weeks before In Washington Hewas
never robust man about the chest. bu,
~ he had withstood similar attack NJ
before, no danger was unprecedented. Hi
wife and daughter. MrA Hauard.
sailed with him. The first news OF his
dangerous illness was received in New
York BY his private secretary on the s,h.
| he received . letter by the regular Mas.
sau steamer, which stated that Captain
| Eads was dangerously III with congestion
q the lungs. The gentleman telcgraphcd
the members Of tho family In this city ana
said he would send particulars by mail
Tho Monticello sails from jacksonville.
Fla, Tor Nassau every Wednesday. ana Il
would tc impossible for the news 10 come
Dy the way OF Jacksonville. The regular
| new York steamer II now on the way 10
Nassau. and the Santiago steamer that
touches that point reached there on the
stn II may have been carried 10 Cuba bv
some private yacht or sailing vessel. and
then telegraphed here That is the only
way can account for IT,
although we have as yet received no
confirmation OF the sad news, am afraid
y Is true. Tho telegram from his private
secretary announcing the serious illness.
followed BY tho bulletin. makes II very
probable that tho result was as fore
Swallowed In the letter"
BIOGRAPHICAL
James u. Eads was horn in Lawrcncchurr
Ind. May - i6so and his early education was
acquired IN the schools OF Louisville and Gin
cinnati. Before he had succeeded In mastering
the Tudiments, however his father experienced
reverses which nece&itated his with
drawal from school. 70 which he
never returned. Al very early age he
developed taste for mechanics aLd
fondness for experimenting with machinery,
which afterwards became the ruling passion
his life. Among the anecdotes related OF him
q one 20 the effect that when only nine years
Old having embarked on an Ohio river steam
boat, he exhibited such an intelligent interest
In the engine that the engineer volunteered 70
explain 70 him the details OF ifs mechanism and
operation. finding in him an absorbed and quick
~ responsive pupil Four years later the boy
was able 70 construct . miniature working
steam engine without assistance In Septem-
Der. is8 when only thirteen years OF age he
arrived in St. Louis. The steamboat on which
his father with his family had embarked 20
seek home farther west had burned. and the
family was destitute. Young Eads sold apples
on the street % contribute something 70 the
support OF himself After q short tire
he obtained position with {
firm. the senior partner OF which.
Barrett Williams. discovered his mechanical
tastes. and gave him free access TO his library
After year or two he went on steamboat a.
clerk, and remained two years. during which
period he obtained valuable fund OF fnforma-
ton concerning the river In isfe he entered
into partnership with Case 4 Nelson boat
builders. for the purpose OF recovering steam
boats and cargocs which had been wrec',rl Al
first the operations OF the firm were limited.
their machinery and appliances being
very primitive. and quite Inadequate 70 ne
work they undertook 20 perform. Such were
the energy. versatility and industry 81 Mr..
Eads. however. that the business rapidly cx-
banded. until In the space OF about ten years
the firms property had increased 20 half
million dollars IN value. In the meantime Mr..
Eads had established factory AZ ST. Louis ler
the manufacture Of glassware The business
did not prove remuncrative and he returned 20
the wrecI<ing business.
In 1850 he submitted 10 Congress a propo-
sition 70 keep the
WESTERN RIVERS orEx
for term Of years by removing all obsfruc-
tons and keeping the channel free. The bili
embodying his proposal passed the House. bnf
was defeated in the Senate He retired from
active business in 1857 on account of M
health. During the war he took ground
against the levying OF contributions on
Southern sympathizers and headed a move
mcnt 20 raise a fund 20 take the place OF thar
which the military authorities had determined
20 exact from the friends OF the Confeaeracy
IN st. Louis. Mr.. Eads received the contract
for building the first seven vessels OF The Mis-
sissippi gunboat notilla. From the close Of the
war TO the time OF the construction OF the great
st. Louis bridge Mr.. Eads was engaged
IN no great public works. Up
on that bridge his fame as az
engineer was firmly established. The bridge
project was first conceived In 1859. Various
sites were selected for the bridge, and the pro
ject met with varying features until Mr. Eads
began 70 take an active interest I'm II in Nc
IN that year he was elected Engineer-in-chief
OF the company then formed He At once e.
cured the services OF Colonel Henry F1ad and
proceeded 70 de velope plans which were sub
scquently followed and the gigantic bridge con-
structcd II was completed and opened in issG
In 1873 Mr.. Eads began the construction Of .
system OF jctties for increasing the depth o.
the water NJ the mouth OF the Mississippi under
contract with the Government. His plans when
proposed were secuted AZ FIRST by prominent
engineers, hut proved cminently successful.
He secured depth Of water which allowed the
largest ocean vessels 70 sail in the river and
unload their cargocs NJ New Orleans.
HIS LATEST And GREATEST PROJECT
was the building Of ship railway across the
Isthmus OF Panama He endenvored for sew
eral years 20 secure from Congress a guarantee
Of the bonds OF his company. Of which William
Window Of New York. Is president He was
unable 70 obtain this concession from the Gov
eminent and NJ the session OF Congress which
has Just concluded. he asked that n charterand
the protection OF the United States Govern
ment only be granted 70 his company. This
was refused.
Mr.. Eads was married in 1855 20 Martha y.
Dillon. daughter Of Patrick N. Dillon. HIS
wife died IN IS2. He was again married % hs
present wife, Mrs. Eunice >. Eads. he had
1--WE daughter. three OF whom married. respect